Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Holy Week - A Week of Sacred Rituals

Holy Week is a week full of rituals. Monday we traveled to St. Augustine Cathedral in Tucson for the Chrism Mass. We enjoyed a meal together before the Mass.

Upon arrival at the Cathedral we saw all the preparataions for this sacred tradition of blessing of the oils for each parish.
The Knights of Columbus, Junior Knights, Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulcher and priests were all lining up in the courtyard ready for the procession in.

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Knight and Lady of the Holy Sepulcher

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Knights of Columbus and Squires

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It was a long procession into church with the Most Reverend Gerald K. Kicanas, Bishop of Tucson, coming in last.

All the priests were seated in the sanctuary with the deacons. During the Mass the Bishop invited the priests to stand for the renewal of priestly promises, the diocesan and religious order priests of which there was a Benedictine, a Franciscan and a Jesuit.

The Oil of Catechumens, Oil of the Sick and the Sacred Chrism were carried up the aisle and presented to the Bishop to bless.

The oil was then poured into small containers for each parish to take home with them to be used in the parish for the coming Church year.

The cathedral was newly decorated under the direction of Bishop Kicanas. It is beautiful and stately looking like a Cathedral should.

St. Augustine Cathedral

The next morning I held a Seder Meal with Grades 5-9th. It was their first experience of a Seder Meal. I was amazed that they liked the unleavened bread and the bitter herbs of celery. They really did enjoy the lamb cake at the end of the Seder Meal. They also learned about the Passover Feast and how this led into our Mass.

Now we are ready for Holy Thursday and the washing of the feet. Yes, I am one of the chosen ones for this. The deacon told me not to wash my feet for two nights so they would really be dirty for him to wash! I know a good dirt road by school I can walk in my sandals.